There have been plenty of rumours and speculation around Cyprus at Eurovision 2021 — including more than a few Greek and Cypriot artists expressing interest. But now Cyprus’ Head of Delegation Evi Papamichael has spoken out and shared the broadcaster’s plans to date.
Greek site Eurovision Fun reported on an interview that the Head of Delegation gave to the Greek magazine TV Ethnos. In the interview, Evi Papamichael talked about Cyprus’ progress so far, confirming one name and doing a bit of myth-busting.
The HoD again confirmed that Eleni Foureira has not been invited to represent Cyprus at Eurovision 2021. The broadcaster was previously forced to deny rumours that had surfaced in June. Papamichael said she didn’t understand all the hype centred around one artist and noted that Cyprus’ participation at Eurovision is very much a team effort.
“We are always open to any serious proposal”
In recent weeks, many Greek and Cypriot stars have expressed interest in represented Cyprus in Rotterdam. The list of names — including Ivi Adamou, Melisses, Vangelis Kakouriotis and Ian Stratis — was put to Papamichael. The HoD said she was pleased with the interest shown from stars both from Cyprus and Greece.
The Greek singer/model/actress Katerina Stikoudi has recently said that her “biggest motivation to go to Eurovision would be a very good and strong song.” Papamichael confirmed that broadcaster CyBC is open to hearing any submission that Katerina Stikoudi might make.
The HoD explained: “We are always open to consider and listen to any serious proposal. In recent years we have been collaborating with major record companies of the region. Greece and Cyprus are, as you know, a single record and music market.”
But among all the rumours and speculation, Papamichael did confirm one thing: so far, CyBC has not made contact with any artists. She explained that the process would begin at the end of August and would initially focus on discussions with record companies.
Papamichael also confirmed that Cyprus’ act for Eurovision 2021 will be either an artist popular in Greece and Cyprus or an artist with Cypriot heritage.
Marvin Dietmann returns as Cyprus’ artistic director
Evi Papamichael also confirmed that Cyprus will again use the services of the Austrian artistic director Marvin Dietmann. He had previously come on board to stage Sandro’s entry for the now-cancelled Eurovision 2020.
The Austrian artistic director has a bucket load of experience when it comes to staging Eurovision entries, including Conchita Wurst’s winning performance of “Rise Like a Phoenix”.
In addition to staging Austria’s winning Eurovision entry in 2014 for Conchita Wurst, he was also behind their 2016 and 2018 entries – “Loin d’ici” by ZOË and “Nobody But You” by Cesár Sampson.
As well, Dietmann has also had behind-the-scenes roles at recent editions of the Eurovision Song Contest, and substantial credits on many Austrian television productions.
In recent years, Cyprus has used the talents of the Swedish staging director Sacha Jean-Baptiste.
What do you think? Who would you like to see represent Cyprus at Eurovision 2021? What kind of entry should they send? Tell us your thoughts below!
Would be amazing if Tamta would come back to Eurovision again the next year ?
Eleni back in the contest would be a DREAM. She could have probably slayed with El ritmo psicodélico still on 2021 or 2022, but Im sure she will be back for her crown.
No she won’t. She doesn’t need a crown. She’s had her time and now someone else needs the chance, so don’t get your hopes up.
I think everyone wants Eleni and maybe she wants too (although she said there was a lot of pressure that didnt let her enjoy the journey) but it’s too risky to do it again and perhaps fail. Only Helena Paparizou, Carola and Dima Bilan had successful second time participations. I tihkn she will never participate again as a performer, maybe as a writer. Cyprus was given a huge hype by Eleni so it’s understandable to have these rumours but it’s clear that she will never take part again. Cyprus should choose a different act if they want to succeed again,… Read more »
“I think everyone wants Eleni”
That is where you are wrong my dear friend 😉
Also Corry Brokken,Vicky Leandros, Cheryl Baker,Linda Martin, duo from Bobbysock
What about Johnny Logan?
Also, unlike any of the other people you mentioned, Eleni didn’t win.
Y’all see an artist/song you like and keeps pushing for them to represent once and again the same nation with the same song or the same style *Tamta ehem*. Give Eleni a break and just go with another artists, there are plenty of them waiting to receive the opportunity
Eleni is great and everything, but I think that every year from now until I don’t know, 2030, rumours will appear that Eleni is returning. I wouldn’t mind her to come back but at least for Albania or Greece.
Cyprus have lots of talented artists and it is kind of sad that CyBC don’t want to use it and just take Greek artists who have little to no ancestral connection to Cyprus.
Just out of curiosity can you please name one Cypriot artist that has represented a different country in Eurovision?
Anna Vissi, Eleftheria Eleftheriou, Sarbel, Loukas Yorkas and Maria Elena Kyriakou have all represented Greece at Eurovision.
Cypriot singers would rather go with Greece than Cyprus back in the day because Cyprus was not doing well back then. Plus, Greece is a bigger market so it was always a big opportunity for them. Greece and Cyprus share the same music industry and show bizz so it’s normal to share artists, I see no wrong in that. I mean Estonia was represented by Swedes (2002, 2019), Germany by a Slovene/Bosnian (2019), Turks (1999) and the list goes on. At ;least, it’s sounds normal to have Greeks represent Cyprus.
The last couple of years have seen their songs being made by foreigners, barely if not zero Cypriot input. How can Cypriots feel represented by their entry if both the singer and the song don’t even share the tiniest of connections to the island.
I think at this point it’s less a connection to Cyprus as much as it is a connection to the Hellenic world in general. Without being too reductionist to poor Cyprus, Greek-hyphenates representing them doesn’t feel weird when Cyprus and Greece are kinda two halves of the same coin.
As a cypriot I feel extremely proud that two of the biggest pop icons of Greece and Cyprus accepted to represent my island in Eurovision although not born on the island. As a cypriot I also felt extremely proud that the following Cypriots artists represented Greece in Eurovision:Anna Vissi, Eleftheria, Loukas,Sarbel, Maria Elena Kyriacou. And since I am a dinosaur of a fun and I don’t remember it being an issue(although all were recent entries), why do you think the same question hasn’t risen back then? Nor will it rise next time a cypriot represents Greece? It’s a two way… Read more »
Hear, hear. Well-said.
I’ll probably get a tone of downvotes for this but can people just let Eleni go already. She’s a good artist but the amount of hype this person is getting is just getting silly now. Let some other artits have a chance to shine. I’m pleased the HoD sees that Eurovision is more than just individuals. I’d like to see another male vocalist for Cyprus next year, just so they don’t get into a habit of sending the same type of thing over and over again.
Only dumb people would downvote you for that. Most of us seem to agree that not sending Eleni again is for the best.
Hardcore fans love Eleni so i see NO HARM seeing them how much they love her. It’s always a good thing to see such love and admiration.
Eleni going to Eurovision is a mistake for her not for Cyprus or Eurovision. It would harm her as she won’t be able to top her 2018 performance so by not taking part again, it means that she’ll keep her legendary status.
But overhype is definitely a thing
I don’t think Eleni would want to return to Eurovision either because she already come second in the contest and it would be very hard to top that.
Dima Bilan placed second in 2006 and won in 2008, perhaps that’s what Eleni fans use as a reason to defend a second chance for her.
I’m not against an hypothetical return of Eleni, but for now, the most sensible thing she can do is stay away for some time. Cyprus broadcaster would reek of desperation if it sent Eleni again so soon.
Dima represented Russia and he was a big name in soviet countries that awarded him 12pts (and nul to competitors Greece).
Helena doing Eurovision for second time was a good example although first time was as part of Antique and she wasn’t a well known name back then. Plus, she got lucky in 2005 as her main competition flopped in the semifinals or had mediocre performances in the final.
I dunno. I just checked, and of the seven countries that awarded Russia 12 points, only two (Latvia and Lithuania) didn’t vote for Greece. Armenia had Greece in their top three.
I’m not against a Eleni comeback, but I don’t think it should necessarily be next year, it could be in 2022 or 2023. But new artists is also good, even though we know they’ll send the same genre of songs for next years (ethnic bop like “Fuego”, “Replay”, “She got me”).
That wasn’t what they were going to send in 2020
I think that was complicated with Sandro and they absolutely wanted an uptempo song while he wanted a ballad, but they still gave him that song that even him didn’t like.
Lmao people downvoted me, we’ll talk about it two years away from now when will have gotten 2 other etnho-pop song.
Really, the broadcaster forced that bad song on him?
We want Queen Foureira back !
No you don’t. You just think you do.
No, no we don’t her time has passed
It´s time for Melisses or Lucas Yiorcas. Please, Cyprus and pick one of them !
Now, you see, I DO think Lukas Yiorkas could probably come back with something different from Watch My Dance!
As much as I loved Watch My Dance, I seriously think that without the rap in it, it could have been epic!
I really want to see him come back to the contest and blow us up with his vocals and some Greek realness!
Wrong, he said he would never do Eurovision with a different song, i dpn’t see him being asked to do ESC.
Well, there you go.
Absolutely, just drop the horrendous rapper this time.
Exactly. The instrumental, the dancers, and Lukas made for 3/4 of one of the best songs of 2011. The other 1/4 was Stereo Mike, god love him.
Papamichael said she didn’t understand all the “hype centred around one artist” —– the hype is cause Eleni has got a fire a yeah a yeah a yeah
I think it’s either a mistranslation or she didn’t mean that exactly. She knows damn well why Eleni’s name is still alive. She brought the fire and attention to Cyprus.
I have a question about Greek singers and Cyprus. Why are Greek superstars like Ian Stratis or Vangelis Kakouriotis, who are Greek, more willing to represent Cyprus than their own country? Is Greek public broadcaster really that awful when it comes to prepare for the ESC? Just asking.
Stefania is staying on to represent Greece so trying to put their names forward to ERT is not an option for 2021.
The awkward moment when Greek ERT picks an unknown Greek-Dutch young girl while big names want to represent Cyprus. How things have changed! It used to be the other way round.
By the way, Ian Stratis is not a superstar.
Well, they are very talented but not superstars….Also in every interview they both say “it would be a great honour for me to represent Greece or Cyprus”, I don’t really see the point of your comment and ERT has already selected Stefania for 2021
Maybe there are probably more chances for participating because the contestant for Greece is already confirmed and it has to be an alternative act to the “musicmafia” of typical ESC-composers just like Kontopoulos…..
I’m pretty sure the Greek broadcaster doesn’t want to win Eurovision, which explains their poor results the past few years.
Winning the contest doesn’t force you hosting it
I want countries to do their best and if they can’t host, then let someone else host, but try and send great songs
Eleni is the real queen, periodtt!
This is a song contest, not a singer contest. No Eleni for 2021.
If it’s a song content, why did Azerbaijan win in 2011?
This should come with a trigger warning for all the Elenistans who will lose their minds.
It was very much the song ‘Fuego’ that started the fire. It was there first. Eleni, though, made it her own and performed it like nobody else could. I also thought her voice sounded great in it, like a first choice artist. But it was about the song first. I would not have liked ‘Replay’ even if Eleni had sung it. And if this year’s Cypriot act taught us anything, it’s that you’ll indeed be running to nowhere without a good song.
“Papamichael said she didn’t understand all the hype centred around one artist and noted that Cyprus’ participation at Eurovision is very much a team effort.” THANK YOU. For the love of GOD, there is more than one artist in the Hellenic pop sphere! Look at the literally dozens of big names that are throwing their hats in the ring! There are so many more possibilities than just sending Eleni Foureira again, and I wholeheartedly encourage Cyprus to explore them. So move on! I love “Fuego,” I think Eleni’s kind and talented, but she’s had her time. Give someone else a… Read more »
Just for comparison: how many people keep saying for Loreen to represent Sweden again every year? ‘Cuz I don’t hear them, and Eleni’s pretty quickly rising to Loreen levels in terms of fan popularity.
(Sorry this has all been not-particularly-bottled-up and I finally have the excuse to let it out)
If I may volunteer a name: a very talented young singer-songwriter named Gabriella Metz was one of my jurors for ESO (her and four other Cypriots to one Greek juror. Cypriot musicians: they’re out there. Use them!). She’d be terrific for Eurovision! Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5_8Powrlj8
Listen to those notes! Cyprus could get another top five dead easy with a song like that!
Exactly ! I’m tired of seeing the fans wanting the same damn artist to return for a country, when I’m sure there are at least a hundred artists in that same country who are waiting for their chance to go to Eurovision !
And then these same people complain if a country like San Marino double-dips
San Marino have a clear lack of a big music scene because they are a very small country, it is alright for them to use people from other countries I think.
But Cyprus have a big music scene of Cypriot-by-birth artists!
YOU are wrong. San Marino has a wide range of artists to choose from Italy, yet they pick irrelevant names like the cringy Turkish guy or Siegel with his dated songs. Cyprus is small, they don’t really have good songwriters (remember the trashy 2015 national final shows?).
Greece and Cyprus share the same culture and music industry so some fans here need to understand that it’s not different for the artist which country they represent.
Plus, we have seen many countries being represented by other nationalities (see Moldova, Estonia, Germany).
Why are people quiet on Azerbaijan sending Swedish-penned tracks?
I mean…if it weren’t for Siegel, we might never have seen Sammarinese nationals on the Eurovision stage. There’s that double-edged sword.